Three-way tie on Day Two

“I wasn’t impacted directly by the earthquake and tsunami because I stay in the southern part of Japan but I am here trying to put up a challenge for the top honour. My game’s strength is in my accuracy,I know that many players don’t use their driver on this narrow course but I used it at least nine times,if you are accurate you can avoid the bushes,” Tani,who birdied the 1st ,6th ,11th ,14th ,17th and 18th ,said.

Just like Tani who hit two successive birdies in the end to take the lead,Thailand’s Kiradech Aphibarnrat also birdied the last two to be in joint lead. He hit a good chip shot off the green to lay a 3-foot putt on the 18th and then broke into an elaborate stage artist bow at the crowd applause,saving his signature gesture for the putt that took him into the lead.

Though Kiradech finished inside the top 10 of the Asian Tour order of merit last year,he is an even better player than those results indicate. He has a history of being in title contention on the last day and losing control from there on. Despite doing that in four tournaments last year,he says he will still play the same way and hasn’t found the best way to control his nerves.

Another player at 9-under not likely to end up in a bundle of nerves is Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman who has been playing on the Indian tour ever since he turned professional and knows the DGC like the back of his hand. “Everything seems to be falling in place for me and I’m glad to be in India as this is where I started my golfing career and have had many wins here,” he said.

Just like on Day One,Gaganjeet Bhullar stayed a stroke behind the leader at 8-under 136. Along with PGTI player Ajeetesh Sandhu who hit an eagle and five birdies,Bhullar is the best placed Indian at tied 4th.

Tuesday’s leader Anirban Lahiri double bogeyed on the fourth to be on the 7th place with 7-under 137. Thirty Indians made the cut which came at 2-over 146. Jyoti Randhawa hit four birdies but an equal number of bogeys saw him remain at 2-under and slip to tied 26th . Rookie Rashid Khan just about managed to make the cut with an eagle on the 18th to return with a level par card.